Seoul - A South Korean dog meat festival has been
cancelled following growls of protest from animal rights activists, one of
the would-be organisers said on Tuesday.

The Korea Dog Farmers'
Association had scheduled for Friday a festival aimed at promoting
traditional dog meat consumption, said Ann Yong-Geun, an adviser to the
association.

"We couldn't possibly go on with the plan due to endless
phone calls of complaint... now there are few willing to rent us a place for
the event," said Ann, a professor of nutrition at Chung Cheong University.

The association had said the festival, to be held in a traditional
open-air market in the city of Seongnam just south of Seoul, would showcase
various canine delicacies including barbecued dog, sausages and steamed
paws.

The event at the market, well known for selling dogs for meat,
would also have featured products such as cosmetics and spirits with canine
ingredients.

International embarrassment

Ann said the festival
would have displayed video clips and pictures of farms raising dogs under
sanitary conditions, contrary to public perceptions.

He said there
are about 600 farms raising dogs for meat in South Korea, where their meat
has long been eaten and dog soup, or Boshintang, is a summer delicacy.

But growing numbers of Koreans oppose the practice and consider it an
international embarrassment.

The planned festival stirred fury from
South Korean animal rights groups and many internet users.

"This is
making our country an international laughing stock, and making the whole
world mistakenly believe that all South Koreans eat dogs," said Park So-Youn,
head of Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth.

The group led online
campaigns to force cancellation of the festival.

"Canines are the
animals emotionally closest to humans. You can't just publicly celebrate
killing and eating them," Park said.